In my own end of year report entitled “Significant Trends of 2002” (20 Dec 2002) I noted that Indonesia “straddles a fence between appeasing the hardliner Islamists whose influence is considerable and growing, or protecting minorities, dispensing justice and appeasing the West in regard to dealing with terrorism. Indonesia’s ability to confront issues of terrorism, jihad and justice will determine the direction Indonesia goes in 2003.”

In regards to terrorism, jihad and justice, the year 2003 has started very badly in Indonesia. Terrorism seems to be only regarded as terrorism if the victims are foreigners (as in the Bali bombing). Terrorism against local Indonesians (jihad), does not seem to be regarded as terrorism and certainly does not receive the same attention from the Indonesian government, police or law courts who have nothing to fear from international scrutiny but much to fear from disgruntled Islamists.

But – violence ignored is violence condoned, and terrorists with impunity are terrorists with permission. The consequences of this can be disastrous. If the direction Indonesia is choosing is the appeasement of Islamists, then this does not bode well for Indonesian Christians.

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TALE OF TWO TRIALS

Muslim cleric and Laskar Jihad leader Jafar Umar Thalib has been acquitted of charges of inciting hatred. (Links 1 & 2) The acquittal of Thalib comes at the same time as the conviction and imprisonment of two Moluccan separatists, Alex Manuputty (55) and Samuel Waileruny (45), for flag raising. (Link 3)

Manuputty and Waileruny were arrested in April 2002 after encouraging their followers to hoist banned separatist flags. Their organisation, the Maluku Sovereignty Front, is campaigning for a referendum on self-determination. The group is thought to have about 100 followers and offers no real political threat. The two men have each received a three-year prison sentence.

On the other hand, the Laskar Jihad (before it disbanded) had up to ten thousand militant followers and was committed to jihad (although it regularly claimed to be a humanitarian organisation). The Laskar Jihad has been responsible for arms smuggling, snipper attacks, forced conversions and circumcisions, and massacres across Eastern Indonesia. Entire regions of Maluku have been “cleansed” of Christians due to their jihad activity.

The speech that led to Thalib being charged with inciting hatred was delivered in the front yard of the Al-Fatah Mosque in Ambon before some five thousand Muslims after Friday prayers, 5pm on 26 April 2002. Thalib said, “From today, we will no longer talk about reconciliation. Our … focus now must be preparing for war – ready your guns, spears and daggers.” He declared the peace accord to be treason and urged the Muslims to rally together in holy war against the Christians.

Less than 35 hours later, at 3.45am on Sunday 28 April 2002, black-masked heavily armed Islamic militants entered the Christian village of Soya (5km east of Ambon city) as the people slept. They moved from house to house, killing up to 21 people and wounding many more – stabbing them to death (including a 6-month-old child), decapitating some, and burning others alive. Thirty homes and one Christian church were destroyed by fire. The people of Soya had surrendered their weaponry in accordance to the Moluccas Agreement of Malino. Not only were they asleep when the jihad descended upon them, they were completely unarmed.

In spite of the enormous differences between the two cases, the BBC comments regarding the trial of Manuputty and Waileruny, “The trial has been seen as an attempt by Jakarta to hold Muslims and Christians equally to account for the violence in the province.”

If the Indonesian government is wanting to hold Muslims and Christians equally accountable, then why are flag raisers with some 100 followers imprisoned while one of Indonesia’s most notorious terrorists, complicit in the deaths of hundreds if not thousands, walks free? Thalib is now rejoicing in his right to free speech and questioning why Manuputty and Waileruny didn’t get 15 years!

“HIDDEN AGENDA”

The trial of Manuputty commenced back on 19 October 2001. At that time the South China Morning Post published an article entitled, “‘Hidden agenda’ in trial of separatist leader” that alluded to the possibility of a political agenda behind the trial. The analysis offered at that time is extremely insightful and extremely relevant to today’s situation.

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South China Morning Post “‘Hidden agenda’ in trial of separatist leader” Vaudine England, 20 Oct 2001.

The trial of a separatist leader in Ambon, the capital of Indonesia’s Maluku islands, that began yesterday (19 Oct 2001), had a hidden political agenda, analysts said.

Alex Manuputty was charged with raising a pro-independence flag at his home on April 25, and is being tried in a public session guarded by hundreds of extra police and troops.

Manuputty heads the Front for a Sovereign Maluku, and aims to set up the Republic of South Maluku. His flag-raising effort was brief and symbolic.

About six thousand Malukans have died in communal and religious fighting, and tens of thousands of displaced people are only just returning to their homes. In this context, the real reason for Manuputty’s prosecution was more complex, one sociologist claimed.

“It’s not that separatism is really considered a threat in Ambon these days, but by talking about that, the authorities hope to distract us from the activities of the Laskar Jihad,” he said.

He said efforts to rid the Maluku islands of militant Islamic group Laskar Jihad had petered out several months ago at the same time as army propaganda sought to raise the profile of the alleged separatist threat.

This served the dual purpose of justifying a continuation of emergency rule in the islands, which involved a heavy troop presence, as well as giving a just cause to Islamic militants there.

The militants claim Maluku’s Christians are fuelled by separatism and therefore must be expelled or killed. Uniformed men have been seen helping Laskar Jihad militants attack Christian areas.

Western sources claimed Middle Eastern and other foreigners had been seen backing the Laskar Jihad’s attacks.

Laskar Jihad leader Jafar Umar Thalib was arrested for his followers’ activities, but then released.

Manuputty was arrested at the same time and was also released but is now facing trial, raising the question why his insignificant group is being targeted while Laskar Jihad operates a welcome desk at Ambon airport.

“It’s pretty obvious. No one dares to touch the Laskar Jihad, but it’s OK to nab a guy who lacks serious backing and explain away a lot of brutality against Christians in the process,” said a Western diplomat.

The head of the Ambon prosecutors’ office, Saiya, told state news agency Antara that judges in Manuputty’s trial came from outside the province and the three prosecutors included a Hindu, a Muslim and a Protestant “to anticipate any unwanted things that may harm the recently conducive security situation”.

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TRIAL OF REV. DAMANIK

The trial of Reverend Renaldy Damanik, who is the secretary-general of the Christian Synod in Central Sulawesi and who runs the Sulawesi Crisis Centre, commences in Palu, Central Sulawesi, today, Monday 3 Feb 2003.

Rev. Damanik is a much-loved and respected leader of the Christian community in Central Sulawesi, a signatory to the Malino Peace Accord, and an advocate for disarmament, security and justice in Sulawesi. He has been a thorn in the flesh of the Laskar Jihad. An army commander who had agreed to testify on Rev. Damanik’s behalf has already been murdered. Rev. Damanik survived an attempted poisoning whist in police custody in Palu at Christmas.

– Elizabeth Kendal

Links

1) “Indonesian Muslim militia head cleared” 30 Jan 2003 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/2708337.stm

2) “Indonesia Court Acquits Militant Cleric Thalib” By Dean Yates Reuters 30 Jan 2003 http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=2138574

3) “Moluccan Christian leaders sentenced” 28 Jan 2003 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/2702437.stm

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